2002 Superbike World Championship

The 2002 Superbike World Championship was the fifteenth FIM Superbike World Championship season. The season started on 2 March at Valencia and finished on 29 September at Imola after 13 rounds.

Colin Edwards won his second championship in what was arguably the most impressive comeback in the history of motorcycle racing. The season started with Troy Bayliss winning the first six races and by the end of race 1 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca he had 14 wins and was leading the championship by 58 points. Race 2 at Laguna Seca was the start of Colin Edwards' comeback, he went on to win all nine remaining races and combined with a race 2 crash for Bayliss at Assen Edwards won the championship at the final race of the season at Imola. The final race of the season saw both riders fighting wheel to wheel for the entire race. The race is known to fans as the "Showdown at Imola".

The manufacturers' championship was won by Ducati.

Race calendar and results

Round		Circuit	Date	Superpole	Fastest lap	Winning rider	Winning team	Report
1	R1	Valencia	10 March	Troy Bayliss	Troy Bayliss	Troy Bayliss	Ducati Infostrada	Report
	R2				Ben Bostrom	Troy Bayliss	Ducati Infostrada
2	R1	Phillip Island	24 March	Colin Edwards	Colin Edwards	Troy Bayliss	Ducati Infostrada	Report
	R2				Colin Edwards	Troy Bayliss	Ducati Infostrada
3	R1	Kyalami	7 April	Colin Edwards	Noriyuki Haga	Troy Bayliss	Ducati Infostrada	Report
	R2				Noriyuki Haga	Troy Bayliss	Ducati Infostrada
4	R1	Sportsland SUGO	21 April	Noriyuki Haga	Noriyuki Haga	Colin Edwards	Castrol Honda	Report
	R2				Makoto Tamada	Makoto Tamada	Cabin Honda
5	R1	Monza	12 May	Neil Hodgson	Troy Bayliss	Troy Bayliss	Ducati Infostrada	Report
	R2				Troy Bayliss	Troy Bayliss	Ducati Infostrada
6	R1	Silverstone	26 May	Troy Bayliss	Troy Bayliss	Colin Edwards	Castrol Honda	Report
	R2				Troy Bayliss	Troy Bayliss	Ducati Infostrada
7	R1	Lausitzring	9 June	Troy Bayliss	Troy Bayliss	Troy Bayliss	Ducati Infostrada	Report
	R2				Rubén Xaus	Troy Bayliss	Ducati Infostrada
8	R1	Misano Adriatico	23 June	Troy Bayliss	Troy Bayliss	Troy Bayliss	Ducati Infostrada	Report
	R2				Colin Edwards	Troy Bayliss	Ducati Infostrada
9	R1	Laguna Seca	14 July	Colin Edwards	Noriyuki Haga	Troy Bayliss	Ducati Infostrada	Report
	R2				Neil Hodgson	Colin Edwards	Castrol Honda
10	R1	Brands Hatch	28 July	Neil Hodgson	Troy Bayliss	Colin Edwards	Castrol Honda	Report
	R2				Colin Edwards	Colin Edwards	Castrol Honda
11	R1	Oschersleben	1 September	Neil Hodgson	Colin Edwards	Colin Edwards	Castrol Honda	Report
	R2				Colin Edwards	Colin Edwards	Castrol Honda
12	R1	Assen	8 September	Colin Edwards	Colin Edwards	Colin Edwards	Castrol Honda	Report
	R2				Rubén Xaus	Colin Edwards	Castrol Honda
13	R1	Imola	29 September	Colin Edwards	Colin Edwards	Colin Edwards	Castrol Honda	Report
	R2				Troy Bayliss	Colin Edwards	Castrol Honda

Championship standings

Riders' standings

2002 final riders' standings Pos. Rider Bike ESP AUS RSA JPN ITA GBR GER SMR USA GBR GER NED ITA Pts R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 1 Edwards Honda 4 3 2 2 2 3 1 2 3 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 552 2 Bayliss Ducati 1 1 1 1 1 1 5 4 1 1 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 2 2 2 2 Ret 2 2 541 3 Hodgson Ducati 6 5 5 4 5 4 4 3 2 4 3 6 Ret 8 3 4 5 3 2 3 3 3 Ret 4 4 5 326 4 Haga Aprilia 2 2 Ret 6 Ret 6 3 5 Ret 3 2 10 4 5 4 3 Ret Ret 4 5 7 4 3 6 5 4 278 5 B.Bostrom Ducati 3 4 4 5 4 5 7 7 Ret 9 7 8 5 4 5 5 8 5 7 4 4 6 8 5 10 9 261 6 Xaus Ducati 5 Ret 3 3 3 2 Ret 9 6 Ret 8 3 3 3 Ret Ret 2 19 5 6 Ret 5 4 Ret 3 3 249 7 Toseland Ducati 12 10 8 7 6 8 9 11 5 Ret 10 9 7 7 8 Ret 9 6 9 Ret 6 8 6 3 6 6 195 8 Chili Ducati 9 Ret Ret Ret 4 Ret 4 11 6 6 6 7 12 7 8 7 5 7 5 2 7 Ret 167 9 Walker Kawasaki 10 7 9 9 8 9 11 13 Ret 10 14 4 Ret 9 7 8 11 10 6 8 9 15 Ret 7 11 12 152 10 Lavilla Suzuki 8 Ret 7 8 Ret 11 12 12 7 5 Ret 14 8 Ret 10 6 15 12 8 9 7 Ret 8 7 130 11 Parkes Ducati 15 DNS Ret 13 11 14 Ret Ret Ret 8 Ret 12 11 Ret Ret 14 15 12 Ret 18 10 10 9 8 9 8 77 12 Borja Ducati 11 8 12 10 9 10 14 15 11 Ret Ret 7 Ret Ret Ret Ret 11 11 10 Ret Ret 11 74 13 Pedercini Ducati 14 11 10 Ret Ret 12 16 18 Ret 6 Ret Ret 10 10 9 9 17 16 Ret Ret 13 12 Ret 10 14 13 71 14 Izutsu Kawasaki 7 6 6 Ret 7 7 DNS DNS 13 17 11 Ret 15 10 62 15 Borciani Ducati 16 12 11 Ret 10 13 Ret 17 Ret Ret Ret Ret 12 12 11 10 Ret 18 16 15 Ret 11 11 9 16 Ret 55 16 Martin Ducati 17 9 13 Ret Ret Ret 17 20 10 11 Ret 19 9 11 13 12 14 11 19 16 Ret DNS 13 14 52 17 E.Bostrom Kawasaki 13 14 9 7 11 16 6 4 49 18 Tamada Honda 2 1 45 19 Sanchini Kawasaki 19 15 15 12 13 16 20 22 12 13 15 Ret 14 14 12 11 19 15 Ret 19 16 14 13 12 17 15 41 20 Antonello Ducati 13 Ret 14 11 Ret Ret Ret DNS 8 Ret Ret 13 13 Ret Ret Ret 18 Ret 12 13 Ret Ret Ret 13 12 Ret 38 21 Byrne Ducati 9 5 10 10 30 22 Goddard Benelli 14 17 13 15 Ret 15 15 Ret 16 14 18 Ret 12 Ret 12 11 Ret DNS 23 23 Yanagawa Kawasaki 6 6 20 24 Yates Suzuki 7 8 17 25 Foti Ducati Ret 14 Ret Ret 12 15 Ret 12 Ret Ret 16 16 14 Ret Ret 17 14 Ret 14 16 Ret Ret 17 26 Hayden Honda 4 13 16 27 Yoshikawa Yamaha 8 8 16 28 Heckles Honda 21 Ret 16 14 DNS DNS 21 Ret 15 18 6 Ret 17 17 19 Ret 20 20 17 20 15 16 17 15 20 Ret 15 29 Tsujimura Yamaha 10 10 12 30 Rutter Ducati 12 Ret Ret 9 11 31 Clementi Kawasaki 18 13 Ret 15 18 19 17 14 Ret 18 18 Ret 17 Ret Ret 21 Ret 13 Ret 14 18 16 11 32 Chandler Ducati 13 9 10 33 Mladin Suzuki 10 Ret 6 34 Hofmann Kawasaki 15 13 4 35 Valia Ducati 13 15 4 36 Malatesta Ducati Ret 13 3 37 Stey Honda Ret 17 Ret 16 14 17 Ret Ret 20 15 22 23 Ret Ret 3 38 Richards Kawasaki 20 14 2 39 D.Ellison Ducati 16 Ret 14 Ret 2 40 Vidal Honda 15 Ret Ret 18 1 41 Takeda Honda 15 16 1 Pos. Rider Bike ESP AUS RSA JPN ITA GBR GER SMR USA GBR GER NED ITA Pts

Colour Result Gold Winner Silver 2nd place Bronze 3rd place Green Points finish Blue Non-points finish Non-classified finish (NC) Purple Retired (Ret) Red Did not qualify (DNQ) Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ) Black Disqualified (DSQ) White Did not start (DNS) Withdrew (WD) Race cancelled (C) Blank Did not participate (DNP) Excluded (EX) Bold – Pole position Italics – Fastest lap

Manufacturers' standings

Pos.	Manufacturer	ESP		AUS		RSA		JPN		ITA		GBR		GER		SMR		USA		GBR		GER		NED		ITA		Pts
		R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2	R1	R2
1	Ducati	1	1	1	1	1	1	4	3	1	1	3	1	1	1	1	1	1	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	575
2	Honda	4	3	2	2	2	3	1	1	3	2	1	2	2	2	2	2	3	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	557
3	Aprilia	2	2	Ret	6	Ret	6	3	5	Ret	3	2	10	4	5	4	3	Ret	Ret	4	5	7	4	3	6	5	4	278
4	Kawasaki	7	6	6	9	7	7	6	6	9	7	11	4	14	9	7	8	6	4	6	8	9	13	13	7	11	10	208
5	Suzuki	8	Ret	7	8	Ret	11	12	12	7	5	Ret	14	8	Ret	10	6	7	8	15	12	8	9	7	Ret	8	7	147
6	Benelli									14	17	13	15	Ret	15	15	Ret	16	14	18	Ret	12	Ret	12	11	Ret	DNS	23
7	Yamaha							8	8																	22	19	16
Pos.	Manufacturer	ESP		AUS		RSA		JPN		ITA		GBR		GER		SMR		USA		GBR		GER		NED		ITA		Pts

Entry list

No	Rider	Team	Motorcycle	Tyre
1	Troy Bayliss	Ducati Infostrada	Ducati 998 F02
2	Colin Edwards	Castrol Honda	Honda VTR1000SP2
5	Mark Heckles	Castrol Honda Rumi	Honda VTR1000SP2
6	Peter Goddard	Benelli Sport	Benelli Tornado 900
7	Pierfrancesco Chili	Ducati NCR Axo	Ducati 998 RS
9	Chris Walker	Kawasaki Racing	Kawasaki ZX-7RR
10	Gregorio Lavilla	Alstare Suzuki Corona	Suzuki GSX-R750 Y
11	Ruben Xaus	Ducati Infostrada	Ducati 998 F02
12	Broc Parkes	Ducati NCR Parmalat	Ducati 998 RS
14	Hitoyasu Izutsu	Kawasaki Racing	Kawasaki ZX-7RR
17	Alistair Maxwell	Alistair Maxwell	Kawasaki ZX-7RR
19	Lucio Pedercini	Pedercini	Ducati 998 RS
20	Marco Borciani	Pedercini	Ducati 998 RS
23	Jiri Mrkyvka	JM Racing	Ducati 996 RS
28	Serafino Foti	Pedercini	Ducati 996 RS
30	Alessandro Antonello	DFX Racing Ducati Pirelli	Ducati 998 RS
32	Eric Bostrom	Kawasaki Racing	Kawasaki ZX-7RR
33	Juan Borja	Spaziotel Racing	Ducati 998 RS
36	Ivan Clementi	Kawasaki Bertocchi	Kawasaki ZX-7RR
40	Giuliano Sartoni	Vemar Giesse	Ducati 996 RS
41	Noriyuki Haga	PlayStation 2-FGF Aprilia	Aprilia RSV 1000
42	Makoto Tamada	Cabin Honda	Honda VTR1000SP2
43	Wataru Yoshikawa	YSP Racing & PRESTO	Yamaha YZF-R7
45	Takeshi Tsujimura	YSP Racing & PRESTO	Yamaha YZF-R7
46	Mauro Sanchini	Kawasaki Bertocchi	Kawasaki ZX-7RR
47	Kenichiro Nakamura	Blue Helmet MSC	Honda VTR1000SP2
48	Yuichi Takeda	Sakurai Honda	Honda VTR1000SP2
49	Akira Yanagawa	Kawasaki Racing	Kawasaki ZX-7RR
50	Alessandro Valia	Ass. Sportiva Bassani	Ducati 996 RS
52	James Toseland	HM Plant Ducati	Ducati 998 F 01
53	Steve Hislop	Monster Mob Ducati	Ducati 998 RS
54	Michael Rutter	Renegade Ducati	Ducati 998 RS
55	Shane Byrne	Renegade Ducati	Ducati 998 RS
56	Dean Ellison	D & B Racing	Ducati 996 RS
57	Glen Richards	Hawk Kawasaki	Kawasaki ZX-7RR
60	Jeronimo Vidal	White Endurance	Honda VTR1000SP1
61	Marjan Malec	Magnat Auto	Ducati 996 RS
66	Alex Hofmann	Kawasaki Racing	Kawasaki ZX-7RR
68	Bertrand Stey	White Endurance	Honda VTR1000SP1
69	Nicky Hayden	American Honda	Honda RC51
69	Thierry Mulot	Pacific	Ducati 996 SPS
70	Yann Gyger	White Endurance	Honda VTR1000SP1
72	Mark Miller	White Endurance	Honda VTR1000SP1
75	Luca Pini	Pedercini	Ducati 996 RS
77	Redamo Assirelli	Pirelli	Yamaha YZF-R7
93	Cristian Caliumi	Pedercini	Ducati 996 RS
99	Steve Martin	DFX Racing Ducati Pirelli	Ducati 998 RS
100	Neil Hodgson	HM Plant Ducati	Ducati 998 F 01
101	Mat Mladin	Yoshimura Suzuki	Suzuki GSX-R750 Y
110	Doug Chandler	HMC Ducati Racing	Ducati 998 R
113	Paolo Blora	Pacific	Ducati 996 RS
120	Aaron Yates	Yoshimura Suzuki	Suzuki GSX-R750 Y
151	Michele Malatesta	Pro.Con.	Ducati 996 RS
155	Ben Bostrom	Ducati L & M	Ducati 998 F02